Nikita Filatov Update Nov 16

Just before the Senators held practice in Edmonton, Bryan Murray addressed the media on the Nikita Filatov situation. Numerous tweets came out soon thereafter, here are most noteworthy:

From the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch:

Nikita Filatov would like to return to Russia. GM Bryan Murray has told him to wait out the situation with OTT until the end of November.

From Sportsnet’s Ian Mendes:

Murray on Filatov leaving: “The KHL honors NHL contracts and we honor theirs. So the option is not Filatov’s…it’s the Ottawa Senators.”

Apparently, the rumours are true. Nikita Filatov does indeed want to return to Russia and had a “good talk” with GM Bryan Murray last Sunday. Murray has asked Filatov to wait until the end of November before the two sides proceed forward. It is reported that Central Red Army has interest.

While it shouldn’t be much of a surprise, it is still disappointing. Senators fans were hoping that Bryan Murray had stolen a diamond in the rough from the Blue Jackets on the second day of this year’s NHL draft. Giving up a third round pick for a player with so much upside seemed like a no-brainer and if Filatov was able to provide any sort of offensive spark, the trade would have been deemed a success. Unfortunately for the team and fans alike, Filatov’s attitude has come into question once again and now it looks as though the two will go their separate ways. From Murray’s standpoint, it was a risk worth taking….it simply just didn’t pan out the way they had hoped.